CAS - Choppers: Catfight(?)

[saXoni]

Hey guys.

This question goes to the pilots:
I've been flying air assets pretty much since I started playing PR, and I love it. The only thing about flying the choppers that bothers me are the cat fights (not even sure if that's what they're called, but it sounds funny).

Example:

I've got no targets on the ground, so I might as well try to find the enemy choppers. I find one of them, about 500 meters in front me, also a bit below me. I dive down, get relatively close, activate AA, clear tone, fire.
Now, if it pops flares, which it most likely will do, I've already had a lock on it for about 0.5 seconds. This means the missile(s) is away, and is on its way to hit the chopper. Flares popped, missile(s) doesn't hit.
This is pretty much what the flares are for, but it still bothers me, as I'm so close to the chopper, and the travel time for the missile is about 2.5 seconds.

I have also seen this happen when the chopper does not pop flares, and that bothers me even more.

So the question is, does anyone have any pro-tip? Except fire as fast as possible after clear tone and get as close as possible to the enemy chopper.

Please keep in mind that this is not a thread where I whine about how unrealistic the AA missiles are.


Thanks,
saXoni.

[Feriluce]

Get in a good position above him and let your gunner open up on him. Should be able to take him out in short order with the gun. If you dont get him and he attempts to flee, shoot them AA missiles.

[Tarranauha200]

And if posible call backup, in kashan its good tactic to have both atk helis and LB find the enemy choppers and report them to everyone else.

Some people dont even do CAS until enemy choppas are down.

[angellfall]

Choppers tend to shoot the AA missiles above ur hud's crosshair this meaning the missiles will start to go up and after this they start to follow your target... If you are too close to the enemy chopper and you aim the chopper with your hud's croshair the missile will most likely miss.. If you however put ur hud's crosshair below the target you have lock on the missile will fly streight in to it..

Common way I use to shoot choppers if they have not spotted me it to shoot the first missile as unquided and after that the second as locked usually the first missile woulds the enemy chopper and the second missile if its not direct hit will kill it nevertheless

[saXoni]

Letting the gunner open fire is a good option, but on public servers, you cannot always rely on your gunner.

I always call for backup, and 90% of the times we win the fight, but this is because of the Hydras, Hellfires or the 20/30mm gun.

The LB is also a good option, but you will need a pretty decent pilot and spotter.

I've stopped going for the enemy choppers before giving my team CAS. Some times you can fly a whole round without seeing them, which means there will be no CAS for the troops on the ground.

[angellfall]

I've stopped going for the enemy choppers before giving my team CAS. Some times you can fly a whole round without seeing them, which means there will be no CAS for the troops on the ground.

This is another commonly used tactic. Just go for the ground targets and only for lazed tanks or such. Fast in and fast out.

[Wakain]

I believe AA missiles have an activationtime (when launched) untill they actually move to the locked helicopter/plane. in this time the missile will have traveled quite some distance already so if you're too close the missile will be past or next to the target before it can establish a lock and just move upwards.

edit: I see now this is pretty much in line with what angellfall said

[saXoni]

I will definitely try your tactic, Angellfall.

Thanks,
saX.

[splatters]

I think the word you're going for is dogfight, although catfight is more appropriate in this case in my opinion

I'm not a huge fan of aerial battles having tasted proper simulation battles; they are the most arcade aspect in PR.

[saXoni]

Since dogfights are between jets, I thoght I would call it catfights, since they're nowhere near as awesome, and 70% of the times, they're just lame.

The best thing about flying aircrafts is giving your team CAS, no doubt.

[PatrickLA_CA]

1. If you get too close to the other chopper, you will always miss it with AA
2. If you go to attack ground targets while the enemy CAS isn't taken out, you will be reported in their chat and if they are standing by somewhere high, they will dive on you and finish you.
3.Some skilled guners have no problem taking the enemy CAS with Hellfires, ask your gunner can he do that and then go very high so when you spot the enemy CAS you are above them, and the gunner should take care of it, but if he misses 2-3 HFs, go with AAs, there might be another CAS chopper aiming at you.

[TheComedian]

Since dogfights are between jets, I thoght I would call it catfights, since they're nowhere near as awesome, and 70% of the times, they're just lame.

Wait... what? Heli battles are tons more exciting than jet dogfight. You can actually turn the tables on the enemy if you are a skilled pilot. Jets are more first see-first kill and air superiority for 20 minutes.

I've had a round where I faced 2 havocs in my apache and managed to critically damage one and got killed while trying to crashland on the TV station repairpad in Iron Eagle.

It might be that you had bad experience with catfights because the AA missles are so OP against them. You dont need lock on to shoot em down, you can get em with splash damage most of the time, flares are mostly there for the flashy looks because they never work as intended.

[Damian_]

I can tell you only, one thing.

If you can see enemy, and enemy cant see you dont use AA, use sometching else.
In PR0.95 everytching is beter then AA rockets, in shooting down chopers.

[saXoni]

2. If you go to attack ground targets while the enemy CAS isn't taken out, you will be reported in their chat and if they are standing by somewhere high, they will dive on you and finish you.

Fast in, fast out. I've done this tons of times.

Wait... what? Heli battles are tons more exciting than jet dogfight. You can actually turn the tables on the enemy if you are a skilled pilot. Jets are more first see-first kill and air superiority for 20 minutes.

Don't get me wrong! 30% of catfights are awesome, but after having a couple of sick dogfights in between the valleys on Battle for Qinling, they have been a bit boring.
I must say, though, that I've had catfights where my body's been so full of adrenaline that I had to go back to base, and take a small break. I really miss that.

saX.

[Feriluce]

Fast in, fast out. I've done this tons of times.

Doesn't really matter how fast you dive in and blow your load. You will get spotted while doing so, and whoever has eyes on you will keep reporting your position untill you're out of sight. If the enemy chopper happens to be in that general area, they can generally intercept you while you try to climp back up and get the jump on you.

[TheComedian]

I must say, though, that I've had catfights where my body's been so full of adrenaline that I had to go back to base, and take a small break. I really miss that.
saX.

Thats the fun of being the pilot in PR. The adrenaline rush when facing the unexpected, whether you survive or not.

[PatrickLA_CA]

Fast in, fast out. I've done this tons of times.

That way you may get to kill a couple of tanks or something else but if you want to stay up for the whole round and get tons of kills, it's best if you are sure that there isn't anyone above you looking to kill you.

[Cassius]

Get a lock, the chopper will pop flares and try to evade, now the flares are out of the way, shoot your AA. Worked for me on the ground with the $hitty handheld AA.

[Brainlaag]

Get a lock, the chopper will pop flares and try to evade, now the flares are out of the way, shoot your AA. Worked for me on the ground with the $hitty handheld AA.

Or you just go unscoped all the way and rape the chopper in any possible way Not joking.

[BrownBadger]

People tend to ignore all CAS requests until they've sat in the clouds looking for the enemy helicopters for the whole round. It really isn't hard engaging the enemy in an unexpected location and being elsewhere when the enemy helicopter comes looking for you.